A knock sounds at the door.
"Margaret, would you please inform one of the footmen that I wish them to open the door?" Eliza requests, too weak to do anything meaningful to stop the knocking herself.
"Lieutenant Colonel Laurens, milady." One of the footmen announces as the aforementioned comes through the door, sweeping his coat and hat off.
"Sir. How wonderful that you have come. We were excitedly anticipating your arrival." Eliza manages to be polite, although her voice sounds strained.
In her defense, she has given birth just this morning.
"My dear Laurens! May I introduce my son, Phillip Hamilton Junior?" Alexander finally speaks from his position beside her on the bed.
"You may." John smiles kindly at her son, the same sadness that she had seen so many months ago back upon his face.
Nonetheless, he is still cordial in manner. The only indication that something may be amiss is that John does not request to hold Philip, as most other visitors have done.
In regard to John, however, this is not particularly concerning. John has not been particularly fond of children in the entire time during which she has known him, with a focus similar to aversion.
To his credit, John does smile fondly at Philip and then look at Alexander, as though examining the resemblance between the two.
Alexander speaks again, voicing an idea that both he and Eliza have been thinking about for quite some time.
"Laurens." He begins.
John looks up attentively from where he had previously been watching the movements of the baby in Eliza's arms.
"Eliza and I were wondering if you would do us the honour of being Philip's godfather." Alexander states clearly.
John stops moving completely, his features going slack as he exhibits a rare lapse in polite courtesy by falling onto the bed when his legs collapse beneath him.
It does not escape Eliza's notice that despite his collapse, John manages not to fall on any part of her or Philip in addition to not disrupting the bed or making them even slightly uncomfortable.
After a moment, John seems to remember himself, standing up quickly and straightening the covers of the bed whilst making the appropriate chastised apologies.
He rubs his hand over his chin, which Eliza notices is badly shaven - indicating that he did not consult his valet this morning, yet another sign that something is amiss with him.
"I - I would be honoured. Thank you for this opportunity." John says, surprise evident in his eyes.
He turns to Philip again earnestly.
"Hello…." John begins. "My name is John."
The baby just gurgles amusedly, not understanding a single thing.
Another knock sounds at the door.
The maid stands to answer it, doing an admirable job of stifling her sigh as she stands, having repeated the same task a minimum of fifteen times today, and it is not yet afternoon.
John gestures grandly. "Please allow me." He insists, standing to answer the door with his usual grace, composure returned.
The maid breathes a grateful response, settling back into her seat beside the door.
John disappears for a moment before a voice can be heard from the parlour.
"Lieutenant Colonel Laurens. What a surprise!" Angelica's voice echoes upstairs.
"Mrs Church. The pleasure is entirely mine. Please call me John." This declaration is followed by a soft kissing sound, and Eliza imagines that John has kissed Angelica's hand.
Eliza is slightly startled at how consistent John is in this regard. She had thought that he only offered her his forename in light of their friendship, preferring formality and maintaining the pride and haughtiness often characteristic of men. Instead, he seems to be completely comfortable in conversational interactions that do not continually revolve around his rank in General Washington's command.
Her opinion of him rises even higher than it had previously been - a level that she had thought unsurpassable given that no one whom she has ever met has risen past that high opinion.
She smiles to herself.
"Please forgive me for being impatient, sir, but where might I find my sister? I am terribly excited to see her." Angelica's voice drifts upward.
Eliza is quite honestly surprised that Angelica had managed the polite courtesies rather than hurrying to find Eliza first. She supposes John is to thank for that, although she cannot see what took place in the parlour despite being able to guess relatively accurately.
Eliza worries for a moment that John will not recognize the urgency in Angelica's voice and will once again insist on her calling him John.
It should not surprise her, and yet it does, when John understands Angelica's impatience and possibly gestures toward the stairs leading to the upper floor of the house, where the bedrooms are, since the sound of Angelica's solid shoes and swishing skirts start up the stairs before being followed by John's footsteps.
A minute later, the door bursts open.
"Betsey! Are you in good health? Is there anything that I might do for you?" Angelica offers immediately, her face lighting up as she sees Eliza in bed with Alexander seated beside her.
"No, no, please come meet your nephew!" Eliza insists.
At this, Angelica hesitates for a moment and turns to look back at John, who is now standing quietly beside the door.
A look of hurt, sadness, and understanding flickers across both of their faces for just a moment, and they glance almost imperceptibly at Alexander.
Then, as suddenly as the look had appeared, it disappears.
Eliza is aware of the meaning and intention behind this gesture. She is much more intelligent than she is ever given credit for, and she could enact wonders with a full education, which she has not had with all the tasks of preparing to be a debutante.
She chooses not to say anything on the subject for the benefit of the two people involved, since it does not do any favours, and it is much too late for such a change anyway.
"May I hold him?" Angelica asks now.
"Certainly." Eliza gently places Philip into Angelica's arms, and she does so with admirable skill.
Given that Angelica has raised two children already, her talent with children should not come as a surprise. Eliza muses.
"We were just speaking to Laurens here on a subject." Alexander gestures to John, who is still standing beside the door, whilst addressing Angelica.
"Oh? What subject might that be?" Angelica raises an eyebrow as she speaks relatively brusquely to Alexander without taking her eyes off of Philip in her arms.
Eliza admires her. She can make such statements without concern for the opinions of men, a talent that she has not yet managed - nor does she think she will ever be able to do so, but she is still quite young.
"We asked him to be Philip's godfather. We would like to extend the same offer to you." Alexander explains.
"As godmother, of course." He hastens to add.
Eliza finds it within herself, despite how drained she is, to be amused at how similar Angelica's reaction is to that of John.
Angelica covers her mouth, sinking into a chair that is conveniently placed beside the bed, Philip still in her arms.
"I, I -" Angelica tries to get the words out, but she has simply been left speechless.
Eliza smirks. Angelica is rarely left speechless on any subject, making this a treat indeed.
Angelica takes a deep breath, regaining her composure. "I would be honoured. Thank you for this kindness."
Eliza's smiles, allowing herself to tease her sister for once. "Truthfully, Angelica? You are my sister, and were not under the impression that you would be the godmother of our son?" Here she smiles at Alexander, who returns the smile fondly.
"I am happy to see you in such good health, Colonel Hamilton." Eliza hears John murmur quietly to Alexander behind her.
It is true. Eliza reflects. Alexander's recovery had been a bit slow - by his standards, which meant it was not very slow at all - he had been in bed for one week recovering from the injuries that he had suffered, later identified as stab wounds and some broken bones. Eliza had done her best to fuss over him whilst not compromising herself.
After returning to General Washington's service, she is told he took another few weeks to fully return to the previous level at which he had been prolific.
John had helped him as much as possible, his careful and polite disposition working wonders on Alexander's sometimes uncontrollable temper. Eliza should thank him for that as well, as soon as she obtains the opportunity.
"Two of us." John smiles at Angelica.
"Indeed." She says in a voice that Eliza thinks is unnecessarily and uncharacteristically curt.
If John notices, which she is certain he has - perceptive as he is - he is too polite to comment on the subject.
Instead, he lifts his hat in farewell.
"I should take my leave, as I am requested early in General Washington's camp." John starts. "Thank you for your invitation, and congratulations to you both. Please accept my wishes for your good health."
He gently runs one finger along Philip's chin before leaving the room, gesturing kindly at the maid to relax and insisting that he will see himself out.
Alexander glances at Angelica for a moment before standing as well. "Unheard of. I will see you out, if you must leave."
John briefly looks apprehensive, but the look disappears quickly, and he gestures grandly with the hand holding his hat and coat. "After you."
Eliza settles back into the bed, relaxing with Philip in her arms and hastening to catch up on all that has taken place with Angelica since their last meeting and then since the last letter.
X
John follows slowly behind Alexander, who leads the way down the stairs and towards the front door.
When they reach the door, John finds that he is not in as much of a hurry to leave after leaving Eliza's chambers.
For this reason, he lingers in the foyer of the Hamilton home despite knowing how rude such an action is.
For his part, Alexander seems to notice John's reluctance to leave and smiles kindly at him.
"It is my greatest desire that our society should become more accepting." Alexander almost whispers.
Quiet as the words are, they send John stumbling backwards. This is the first occurrence of any kind of recognition - much less reciprocation - of the affection that John harbours for Alexander, save for in the letters, which are very descriptive.
John himself would never be so indiscreet in his letters, which could easily be found or - almost worse - burned, nor does he think that letters suffice to reach the point that he wishes to convey. He is of the opinion that such sentiments can only be expressed in person, for multiple reasons.
"Myself as well." John replies, just as softly.
Alexander smiles then, a real smile that flutters John's heart just slightly.
They simply smile at one another for several moments until a servant hurries past whilst carrying a collection of towels and shakes them out of their trance.
John tips his head to Alexander, planning to genuinely take his leave.
However, the traditional handshake feels too formal for the understanding that they have just shared, so John stands awkwardly until Alexander steps forward and embraces him gently.
Shocked, John does not move until his body realizes what is happening and he wraps his arms tentatively around Alexander.
When they step apart after a minute, it feels much too short.
There is nothing left to be done, so John wishes Alexander, Eliza, Philip, and any future children well - in regard to future children he winks sadly - and steps out of the door that Alexander has opened for him.
He reminds Alexander that John is returning to Charleston in one week for the purpose of supporting the war and leading a charge, which Alexander acknowledges.
Alexander watches John as he walks away for such a long time that John cannot hear the door when it finally shuts.
He never sees him again.
Note: Reviews are appreciated!
Alexander was more interested in a relationship between them, based on letters, but most of John's letters have been burnt or lost, so it is uncertain what really happened. I am also unsure if Alexander, let alone Angelica or John, met Philip until he was about one year old.